Miscellaneous

A cross-section of Europe

This category collects European coins and notes from countries that do not have a category of their own in the shop. The result is a varied selection, from Polish silver of the late 16th century to 20th-century issues from the North Atlantic, and it is a good place to look for something a little outside the usual collecting areas.

What is in this category?

• Poland: a 3 groschen of 1588 and an ort of 1623, both from the reign of Sigismund III Vasa, who was also King of Sweden for a period.
• Finland: a 1 markka of 1890, from the time when Finland was a grand duchy under the Russian emperor but had its own currency.
• Portugal: a silver 500 reis of 1891.
• San Marino: a 10 centesimi of 1875.
• The Ottoman Empire: a 20 para of 1864.
• Ireland: a set of three mint state coins.
• The Faroe Islands: a 100 krónur note of 1952 and a 5 kroner item from 1929–1933.
• Guernsey and Jersey: doubles and shilling fractions from 1864 to 1938.

What do collectors look for?

Because the countries are so different, the criteria vary. For Polish silver of the Vasa period, a clear portrait and legend are important, and the many varieties are recorded in specialist catalogues. For 19th- and 20th-century coins, mint state examples with original lustre are much scarcer than circulated ones. Banknotes are judged on folds, tears and stains. For notes from the rest of Europe, see Banknotes – Europe, and for more coins, the main Europe category.

The Nordic connection

Several objects here have links to Scandinavia. The Faroe Islands are part of the Danish realm, Finland was part of Sweden until 1809, and Sigismund III was the son of the Swedish king Johan III. Such connections make these coins natural additions to a Nordic collection.